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Pete Gallego Joins Blue Dogs

The fiscally conservative coalition of House Democrats announced that the Alpine Democrat has been accepted into the ranks, which also includes Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo. The group has seen its membership dwindle as redistricting across the country has pushed out centrists.

“The American people insist on a more bipartisan approach to addressing the problems we face as a nation,” said Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga., a Blue Dog co-chair. “People are tired of the ‘all-or-nothing’ strategy of both parties in Washington.”

“Never have America’s challenges looked so big, and Congress looked so small,” said Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., another co-chair. “That’s why the Blue Dogs will remain an important voice in a deeply divided House, as we face our mounting national debt and looming debt ceiling.”

Gallego will be one of eight Texas freshmen sworn into the U.S. House on Jan. 3.

Most are spending this week at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Roughly 50 House freshmen are attending the 20th “Bipartisan Program for Newly Elected Members of Congress,” which includes sessions led by academics and current and former federal lawmakers. Topics, per Harvard, including the economy, federal budget, American power and competitiveness, Middle East policy, communications and navigating the legislative process.

Gallego will be there, along with fellow Texas Democrats Joaquin Castro of San Antonio, Beto O’Rourke of El Paso and Marc Veasey of Fort Worth, and Republicans Steve Stockman of Friendswood and Randy Weber of Pearland.